Kumar Sangakkara was “overwhelmed” after achieving one of the few feats to have eluded him in one of the great modern careers by hitting a Test century at Lord’s.

“He was a man with a purpose today,” said Mahela Jayawardene, his old friend with whom he has now put on over 6,000 Test runs and who was the first to congratulate him – with an extravagant leap – when he reached three figures.

“I haven’t seen him leave so many balls outside the off-stump for quite some time. I’m so happy for him. I didn’t say much to him – I know he was just overwhelmed. He said he had ticked that box.

“I was a bit worried when he was in the 90s. He looked a bit nervous. But he batted really well today, for the team as well because he anchored the innings. It’s something special to see his name up on that board.”

Jayawardene has been on the list of century-makers in the away team’s dressing room in the Lord’s pavilion for more than a decade and even England conceded it was fitting for Sangakkara to join him.

“Yes, I’d love to have seen the back of him early but from a personal point of view I’m delighted for him because he’s a world-class player and a world-class person,” said Paul Farbrace, the England assistant coach who got to know Sangakkara during his two stints with Sri Lanka – most recently for their World Twenty20 triumph earlier this year.

“There’s a lot of respect towards him from our team – a lot of our young batters have enjoyed seeing the way he has scored a lot of his Test runs.”

Farbrace praised England’s four seamers, and picked out Liam Plunkett, for the way they stuck to their task on a pitch that might have been designed for Sangakkara.

“For Liam to still be running in for the last over of the day and clocking up 90 miles an hour, it sums up the performance of the day really,” Farbrace added. “We’ve said to all the bowlers it has been a really good effort from them.”

Sri Lanka will resume on 415 for seven, still 160 behind England’s first-innings total, with Farbrace conjuring a dream scenario in which they take the remaining three wickets in 10 minutes and then build an impregnable lead.

Moeen Ali claimed Sangakkara as a notable first Test scalp but Farbrace discounted speculation that he had unveiled the doosra that was much discussed in the build-up to his Test debut. “You’ve got to earn the right,” he said.